Breakdown of Todavía tengo pendiente llamar a la oficina y enviar el documento.
Questions & Answers about Todavía tengo pendiente llamar a la oficina y enviar el documento.
Why is todavía used here, and is it the same as aún?
Here todavía means still: it shows that the speaker has not done these things yet.
In this sentence, todavía and aún are basically interchangeable:
- Todavía tengo pendiente llamar...
- Aún tengo pendiente llamar...
Both are natural. In everyday speech, todavía is often a little more common and a little less formal-sounding.
What does tener pendiente mean?
Tener pendiente is a very common expression meaning:
So tengo pendiente llamar... is not literally about something physically hanging; it means the action is still unfinished.
You can use it with:
- a noun: Tengo pendiente una reunión.
- an infinitive: Tengo pendiente escribirle.
It is very natural in Spain.
Why is pendiente singular here, not pendientes?
It is singular because what follows is an infinitive phrase: llamar a la oficina y enviar el documento.
Spanish often treats an infinitive clause like a singular idea:
- Tengo pendiente llamar.
- Tengo pendiente terminar el informe.
But if you use a plural noun, then pendiente becomes plural:
- Tengo pendientes dos llamadas.
- Tengo pendientes varios documentos.
So the agreement depends on what is considered the thing that is pending.
Why are llamar and enviar in the infinitive?
Why is there an a in llamar a la oficina?
Why is it a la oficina and not al oficina?
Because oficina is feminine: la oficina.
The contraction al only happens with a + el:
- a + el = al
- a + la = a la
So:
- Llamo al banco.
- Llamo a la oficina.
Why is there no second a before enviar el documento?
Why does Spanish use el documento instead of just documento?
Spanish often uses the definite article where English might omit it.
Here el documento suggests a specific document that both speaker and listener can identify from context.
Compare:
- enviar el documento = send the document
- enviar un documento = send a document
In many real situations, Spanish prefers the article more often than English does.
Could I say Todavía tengo que llamar a la oficina y enviar el documento instead?
Is todavía in the right place? Could it go somewhere else?
Does llamar definitely mean to phone here?
Can llamar a la oficina y enviar el documento be understood as one pending item or two?
Could I also say Tengo pendiente de llamar...?
Usually, no. In this structure, the normal form is:
- tener pendiente + infinitive
- tener algo pendiente
So you would say:
- Tengo pendiente llamar a la oficina.
Not usually:
- Tengo pendiente de llamar...
Spanish does use pendiente de in other contexts, for example:
But that is a different construction.
Is this sentence especially common in Spain?
Yes, it sounds very natural in Spain.
In Spain, tener pendiente is very common in everyday speech for talking about chores, admin, errands, and things on your to-do list.
- Tengo pendiente responder unos correos.
- Tenemos pendiente hacer la compra.
- Aún tengo pendiente pedir cita.
So the sentence sounds idiomatic and normal for Peninsular Spanish.
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